Process for treating lens cleaning cloth



Patented July 18, 1939 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE Attilio Panissidi, Woodhaven, N. Y.

No Drawing. Application August 8, 1938, Serial No. 223,705

3 Claims. (01. 5 1-278) This invention relates to a chemical process for treating cloth to be used for cleaning optical lenses and the like, and comprises a method of treating cotton cloth or any vegetable fibre in which a metallic oxide has been fixed on the fibre in the presence of an alkaline liquid of sodium hydroxide, and producing a cotton lens cleaning cloth that is superior to other lens-cleaning cloths. But the invention is limited to this particular form only to the extent indicated hereinafter.

It is known that some soft pliable animal derivatives such as felt cloth or soft leather, have been directly charged or impregnated with absorbent polishing substances, such as some metallic oxides; but vegetable fibers such as cotton have no affinity to be directly charged, or impregnated with metallic oxides in the same manner as wool. It is now found that the cotton or'linen fibers chemically treated as aforesaid, possess a much better cleaning property than the usual cleaner, and the cotton or linen cloth not only precludes the usual film left on the lenses by ordinary cleaners, but also avoids the danger of scratching, smearing or damaging the lenses. In practising this invention, two solutions of one hundred cubic centimeters each are preparedone containing four per cent of sodiumhydroxide, the other eight per cent of stannous chloride. The sodium hydroxide solution, which has a molecular quantity in excess, is poured gradually into the stannous chloride solution, while agitating the liquid. After producing this chemical solution in which stannous hydrate is formed, and in which there is a free sodium hydroxide acting as a catalytic agent, a piece of cotton cloth is immersed in the solution for two hours; it is then squeezed and dried in the shade at ordinary temperature; then it is rinsed in plain water to remove the excess stannous hydroxide or sodium hydroxide on the cloth, and finally dried. The cloth will then be found to have the fiber fixed 5 with the stannous hydroxide, which will not be seen except under microscopic examination.

While I have described my invention, the ingredients employed in my process as well as the various steps may be varied. I, therefore, desire to reserve the privilege of modifying the exact order of the steps as hereinafter outlined, or to alter the various quantities of materials used as well as to employ other chemicals, which may be considered chemically equivalent to those stated. without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lens-cleaning cloth formed of cotton fibres on which tin hydroxide has been fixed on the fibres by treating the cloth in a quantity of water containing stannous hydroxide, sodium chloride, and sodium hydroxide.

2. The method of fixing tin hydroxide on cotton cloth comprising dipping the cloth in a quantity of water in which tin chloride has been dissolved and sodium hydroxide added to the water in excess so as to act, in the presence of such cloth, as a catalytic agent.

3. The method of treating cotton lens-cleaning cloth which comprises fixing tin hydroxide on the cotton fibres in the presence of sodium hydroxide in water solution.

ATTILIO PANISSIDI. 35 

